Pruning device.



G. W. BULL.

PRUNING DEVICE APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24. 1913.

Patented Jan. 19, 1915.

FIGnR. FIG.5.

INVENTOR. .tZ/Bulfi.

Flcal WITNESSES: W 5 1.

snares PR'UNING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 19, 1915.

Application filed June 24, 1913. Serial No. 775,487.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, Gnonon W. BULL, of the town of Stettler, in the Province of Alberta, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pruning Devices, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to devise a pruning implement which is equally Well adapted to cut small yielding twigs or com-. paratively large branches, and which will in either case produce a clean cutwithout bruising or tearing the bark.

With this object in view my invention consists essentially of the construction hereinaf'ter described and specifically claimed.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved implement in its normal position. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing it in a position in which it has completed a cut. Fig. 3 is-a similar View of part of the implement taken at right angles to Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. i' is an enlarged longitudinal section of the upper end of the sliding In the drawings like numerals ofreforence indicate corresponding parts in the difierent figures.

1 represents the handle of the instrument, winch is preferably provided 'wlth an ex tension 2 which may be connected whenever" desired by means of the ferrule 23. The up per end of the handle has secured thereto the guide 4, in which there is longitudinally movable the shank '6' of the sliding jaw 'Z'. A. guide 5 ,is formed on the shank 6 and slides on the handle 1. This jaw it will be seen is substantially tl-shapedto receivethe twig or branch out off, and outwardly and laterally. V

Pivoted to'the sliding jaw to one side-of and above the bottom of the same is the) pivoted knife 8; The netting edge of this knife is curved as shown, butthe cnrve is eccentric to the pivot Gian-that a gradual shearing cut is given when the knifeQis rocked relatively to the jaw, as indicated in Fig. 2, in which ihdotted lines I show the position of the pivoted knife at the end ot the cutting" operation. The knife is given its motion through the following means 2 A. creche-t1? is secured to the handle and the connecting rod 10 is pivoted thereon at 11. The upper end 01" this connecting rod is pivoted at 12 to the knife 8. From this construction it will be seen that if the jaw 7 is fitted against the branch and the handle 1 be pushed upon, theshank 6 will slide on the handle, and that the parts will assume the position shown in Fig. 2, the power of the operator being exerted through the me- 60. dium of the handle and the connecting rod.

10 to rockthe knife 8 relativelyto the 'jaw and so cut the branch.- A coil spring 13 is connected at one end with the knife and at the other end with the lower end ofthe shankfi. This spring thus tends to maintain the parts in the position shown in Fig. 1. Sometimes a springy branch will not afi'ord sufiicient resistance to enable the device to be operated by a push on the -handle. I therefore provide. the cord 14 which is suitably arranged to draw down. the shank 6 and thus operate the implement. To avoid frictionand to increase the purchase'I provide asheave 15 at the lower endof the shank '6 and the sheave 16 on the handle 1. The cord 14= is secured at one end to the lower end of the shank 6, passes around the sheave 16, then around the sheave 15, and thence to the op- ,80 erators hand. This arrangement ives ample purchase to .operate the device y a -pull on the cord and a light push on the handle at the same time. The jaw 7 it will be noticed is beveled downwardly from the edge which cooperates with the knife. This. gives it a sure grip on the hranch bein cut and "prevents slipping which-would be liable to bruise the bark. j I

'- What I claim as my invention is; In a pruning" implement, the'combin'ation of a handle; an outwardly and laterally facing sliding jaw movable lengthwise of the handle, a knife pivoted directlyon the jaw-to one side of and' above the bdttom and also above the end of the'other side of the and hav'ing an eccentric curved cutting edg a connecting rod pivot'ally connected atone-end to the knife and at the other to the handle, and a-epring tending to maintain the parts in their normal position. Toronto this 18th day at June'1913. GEORGE W. BULL.

1 Signed in the'presence'o- I A. Currants, E. E. HALL. 

